Introduction

Halo: Nightfall is a live-action Xbox Originals webseries for the Xbox One, Xbox 360, and other Microsoft devices which was released in late 2014 (part of the Halo Franchise).

Consisting of five episodes, the series was created by Scott Free Productions in conjunction with 343 Industries. Acclaimed filmmaker Ridley Scott was the show’s executive producer along with Scott Free TV President David Zucker; it was directed by television director Sergio Mimica-Gezzan.

In the series, “A strange and treacherous world exposes elite UNSC operatives to a much deeper danger.” The five episodes of Nightfall aired on the Halo Channel weekly, on Tuesdays at 4 PM PST, starting on 11 November 2014 and concluding on 09 December 2014.

Outline

While Ramos, Horrigan, and Arris attempt to go back to the tug, Arris tries to put Ramos against Horrigan by saying Horrigan is using both of them. Meanwhile, in the Condor, Locke, Aiken, and Macer find some weapons and finds that the Condor, now damaged, doesn’t have the capacity to get them out of the ring, but they can go to the tug. Ramos confronts Horrigan but he replies to him that the tug has autopilot but also a biometric scan which is the reason why they needed Arris in the first place. With less than 30 minutes left, Aiken and Locke try to start to detonate the HAVOK nuke, but Macer reveals that there is a problem: the Condor has enough thrusters to fly but its cells are damaged, meaning they cannot get out of the canyon. Aiken then makes a plan: if they use the HAVOK’s emergency cell, the Condor will have energy. Aiken orders Macer to put it into the Condor’s system, but Locke says that they can not leave the bioweapon source intact. Aiken replies that the only way they can complete the mission is if only two of them go to the tug and the third manually activate the HAVOK. Near the tug, Ramos begins to suffocate, and he and Horrigan begin to use the last air source, but Arris manages to escape with the help of a laser cutter which he uses to cut his binds.

In the Condor, Macer manages to activate the ship and Aiken orders to both of them to go to the tug, but both refuse. Aiken then breaks his daughter’s necklace and empties some of the beads in his hand. He then explains that it will be decided by luck: the one who draws a red bead from his enclosed hand will stay behind while those with white ones are spared. In the end, it seems the one who will activate the HAVOK is Aiken. Before they part ways, Locke promises Aiken they will see each other in Valhalla. When Locke and Macer leave in the Condor, Aiken reveals he cheated by hiding his red bead from view; there were no red beads in his hand since he wanted both of them to survive. Almost reaching the tug, both groups are attacked by Lekgolo worms; Horrigan betrays Ramos by activating his backpack, breaking his leg, and leaving him to be killed by the worms. The Condor crashes, Locke helps a crippled Macer and races to the tug. Arris starts the tug and the Lekgolo start going to the tug. Desperate, Horrigan turns on his assault rifle and kills Arris, but on his way to the ship, he is devoured by the worms, and they begin to envelop the tug. With no means to escape, Locke and Macer hide behind a few rocks. With few minutes to the sunrise left, Aiken activates the HAVOK and, unconsciously, draws the Lekgolo out of the tug and towards him. Locke and Macer enter the tug and escape the ring. At the same moment, the HAVOK detonates, killing Aiken, the Lekgolo, and destroys the ring fragment with its deposits along with it.

Locke and Macer watch the ring being destroyed and return to Sedra. While there, Locke walks through the outdoor market in Sedra City while in deep thought. In these sequences, a final monologue from Aiken is heard:

“Death will come to all of us. Especially soldiers. It will come, inevitable as the sun. It is only to be feared if you fear what is on the other side of it, if you see darkness in your soul rather than light. In a way, I suppose soldiers are gods. You give your life away so others will live in peace, even if it’s only fleeting. The ones who live carry parts of you with them, your deeds become seeds for theirs. The sacrifice carries forward. And in their final moments as a soldier, you know they will have to answer the same question you did in yours: with your life, would you only create death, or with your death would you create life? That is my question to you, Commander Locke, how will you die? And for what?”

Halo: Nightfall Series

You can find a full index and overview of Halo: Nightfall here.

You can find a full index and overview the Halo Franchise here.

Production & Filming Details

• Release Date: 11 November 2014 to 09 December 2014.
• Rating: 12.
• Running Time: 30 minutes (per episode).
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Link